Dreadlocks and Magic Spells
by SantittanyForever
Summary: Delphine Cormier is in her third year at Hogwarts, enjoying life but ultimately bored by everything. Then she meets Cosima Niehaus, who proves to be the friend that Delphine didn't even know she was looking for.


The Sorting ceremony is about to begin. Delphine is sitting at her house table with the other Slytherins, chatting excitedly with her friend Felix about the new students about to arrive and the magnificent feast that is to come once the ceremony has been completed. The chatter buzzing through the Great Hall then begins to fade until it is only a dull murmur, and then: nothing. All heads swivel to face the front of the colossal room; Albus Dumbledore has taken to the plinth, his crystal-white beard almost seeming to shimmer under the light of the floating candles.

"Welcome to what I'm sure is going to be another great year at Hogwarts." His voice echoes around the room. "As is customary, we will begin the evening by performing the sorting ceremony, followed by the feast. Professor McGonagall, if you would be so kind."

He gestures to the throng of new students milling around the bottom of the raised platform, some of whom look utterly terrified. Minerva McGonagall takes out a thick roll of parchment from within her robes and begins calling out names.

"Alison Hendrix."

The first student, a brunette with bangs and wide eyes, slowly approaches the stage on which the Sorting Hat is placed on a stool; it is positioned on her head by McGonagall, and after a second of waiting, a cry of "_Gryffindor_!" reverberates around the room. The Gryffindor table erupts into a loud cacophony of cheers and shouts, and Alison smiles a little, hopping down to join her new house mates. Then the ceremony continues, with an array of students being sorted:

"Beth Childs." "_Hufflepuff_!"

"Sarah Manning." "_Gryffindor_!"

"Arthur Bell." "_Ravenclaw_!"

"Paul Dierden." "_Hm, this is a tricky one. You would fare well in Hufflepuff, and yet you have all of the qualities to make a great Slytherin. I'll go with my gut instinct… Slytherin_!"

The ceremony continues until all of the students have been sorted and the chatter returns back to a load roar as the timid first years are introduced to their new peers. After a few minutes of babble, Dumbledore once again reclaims his spot behind the regal owl podium, speaking about how proud Hogwarts is to welcome its new students and how he hopes they will reach their potential during their upcoming years of study and make life-long friends. The feast begins soon after, with students and teachers alike wolfing down the delicious food that appears on the shiny platters in front of them while talking about how everyone's summer holidays had been and if they were glad to be back.

A while later, the feast comes to an end, everyone looking full and satisfied. Delphine, content to just go back to the Slytherin common room and lie in front of the fire, finds her attention suddenly caught by a loud peal of laughter, coming from the Ravenclaw table. She locates the source of the sound, and finds it coming from a female student, who looks to be a little younger than Delphine. This student is like none other than Delphine has seen before; she is undeniably unique, with her dreadlocks, her thick black glasses, her nose ring that glints in the soft glow of the flickering candles; it is all so intriguing. And Delphine finds herself unable to look away when the girl smiles; she has the most wonderful smile, one which lights up her whole face in such a beautiful yet innocent way. Delphine likes how friendly the girl looks, how she engages her friends in conversation and has the whole table laughing.

"Oi oi, daydreamer." Felix nudges his blonde best friend, jolting her out of her dazed reverie. "Who's got you so distracted then, eh?"

Delphine nods in Cosima's direction, inhaling sharply when Felix swings his head round to look.

"Felix!" she hisses "Don't make it obvious, she'll notice."

But he continues to stare, eyes narrowed, until he sits up suddenly, alert with sudden clarity.

"I know who she is." He declares triumphantly. "That's Cosima Niehaus. She's a second year and apparently she's _really _smart, like, she can do things that most of the fifth and sixth years haven't even attempted yet."

"Like what?"

Delphine is surprised at how anxious she is to learn more about this mysterious, albeit incredibly fascinating student.

"Well, I've heard that she's an Animagus."

"But that is impossible!" Delphine scoffs. "Only extremely powerful witches and wizards can perfect the art of becoming an Animagi, and she can't be older than thirteen."

But Felix simply arches one perfectly sculpted eyebrow in response, leaving Delphine with a lot of questions and very few answers. She decides to find out for herself if what Felix is saying is true; because if it is, she may be one step closer to achieving her dream that she has possessed since her first year here at Hogwarts.

* * *

It takes a few days before Delphine works up the courage to talk to Cosima. It is partly due to the fact that she has such a busy schedule thanks to the plethora of lessons she has to attend (made a little easier with the use of the Time-Turner that had been passed down to her by a former student), but mainly because she is ridiculously nervous. She spends an hour or so pacing up and down the Slytherin common room, scolding herself for being so scared.

"She's just a girl." Delphine mutters to herself. "Sure, she's really really _really _intelligent. But that's no reason to be intimidated. You've wanted to learn about becoming an Animagus for ages and this is your chance. She seems friendly enough, so stop worrying. _Just do it."_

She continues chanting this mantra to herself as she strides over to the common room entrance; when the stone wall opens up to reveal the exit archway, she walks out, head held high, and refuses to glance back. She gets halfway down the corridor before she realises that she has absolutely no idea where Cosima would be. She pauses, wracking her brain; _she's smart_, she reasons, _so she probably spends a lot of time in the library._ With a pleased nod, she begins to walk again, making her way to the library a few floors above the dungeons.

Upon entering the library, Delphine feels a strange sense of calm wash over her; the large room, with its never-ending shelves, musty books, piles of parchment – there is something soothing about being here. She then notices the watchful gaze of Madam Pince following her, and so she darts between two aisles to avoid being questioned by the nosy librarian. She takes a moment to notice what section she has stumbled into, but once she has, she can't help but smile; she unknowingly wandered into the section covering Transfiguration, and this includes a small section focusing on the art of becoming an Animagus. This reminds her of the reasoning behind her journey to the library, and she shuffles forward, peering between the shelves for any sign of Cosima. She begins to wander around, meandering between bookcases and humming softly under her breath. She enters a relaxed daze, and is so preoccupied in her searching that she ends up stumbling over a stack of books placed precariously on the floor in the middle of one of the aisles.

"Holy shit, I'm so sorry!" comes a panicked voice from behind her, as Delphine pushes herself up into a sitting position. "Are you okay?"

The Slytherin student blinks a few times before realising that she is absolutely fine. This realisation is soon forgotten, however, when she focuses on who is speaking to her with such a worried tone of voice; the glasses, the piercing, the smile – crap.

"Oh. Um. Hello." She mumbles, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Hey. You had quite a fall there." Cosima smiles, standing up and extending a hand out to Delphine, which the blonde accepts tentatively. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry about the books, I was so into my work that I totally forgot that they were in the way an-"

"It's fine." Delphine interrupts, smiling nervously.

"You sure?"

"Oui. I mean, yes. Yes, it's fine. I'm okay."

"Okay, cool. I'm Cosima, by the way. Cosima Niehaus."

"I know. I mean- I've seen you around. I'm Delphine."

"Nice to meet you, Delphine." Cosima grins.

Delphine ducks her head to straighten her skirt, taking the momentary pause to lecture herself again:

_Right, you're here now. So stop being so intimidated and just be friendly. Do it._

She raises her head, meeting Cosima's curious smile, before the shorter girl speaks again.

"So, Delphine, you're a third year, huh?

"How did you kno-"

"I've seen you going into the woods by Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures, and I know we're not allowed to take that class until third year." Cosima shrugs, as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. "Unless you're secretly like five and you snuck in here using some super-secret ageing spell."

Delphine giggles, liking this girl's sense of humour already.

"I can see why you're in Ravenclaw." Delphine blurts out.

Cosima raises one eyebrow in question.

"Ravenclaws are known for their wit." Delphine explains.

"Funny story, actually." Cosima says. "When I was being sorted, the Hat had a bit of an issue with me – said I had the potential to make a good Gryffindor, but I had more traits that fit into Ravenclaw so he put me in there. Rad, huh?"

Delphine nods.

"So, Delphine… I still feel terrible about tripping you with my obnoxiously large pile of books. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

Delphine is about to shake her head, but stops before she can move.

"Well… there may be something you can help me with?" she speaks tentatively.

"Yes, anything!"

"So, I've heard… there are rumours… apparently you're an Animagus."

"You heard right." Cosima grins, showing off her fang-like canines once again.

Delphine can do nothing for a few seconds but stare at Cosima in awe.

"But- how… I mean, you're so…. You're barely a teenager… I don't-"

"I was raised by a very magic-obsessed family." Cosima explains, smiling at Delphine's expression of bewilderment. "My parents were very supportive when it came to me learning spells and stuff from a young age, so I became kinda advanced as a child, which meant I learnt certain things a lot sooner and a lot faster than other students."

"But… is that allowed?" Delphine whispers, feeling as though this wasn't a conversation that should be held between dusty wooden shelves and peeling book covers.

"Not really. But it's all been legalised now, I'm registered with the Ministry and they are aware of my situation, so. Anyway, I'm glad my parents were persistent like that; it means I'm way ahead of my years in terms of magic and what I can do with it-"

"Which explains why you have already learnt the art surrounding how to become an Animagus?"

"Exactly. Sorry, I went off on a bit of a tangent there. So,why the sudden interest in my magical capabilities?" Cosima smirks.

"Oh! Well, I'd heard about your talents" - Cosima blushes a little – "And I was wondering if perhaps you could help me out? You see, I've been fascinated by the idea of Animagi for years now and all I want is to learn how to transform at will, with all the proper training and knowledge to go with it. But all of my teachers say they are too busy to help me, and none of my friends are interested in it like I am."

Cosima cocks her head, raising her eyebrows sceptically.

"And you're _sure _you'd want to do this?"

Delphine nods eagerly.

"Alright. Deal."

They exchange a smile, and Delphine can't help but think that a new friendship may have just begun.

* * *

_**Six months later…**_

Training is not at all how Delphine expects it to be; she imagined lots of wand wielding and intriguing potions and intricate spells – instead, she has to read (a _lot_) and wasn't even allowed to attempt any magical transformations for months.

Half a year after their training started, she is sitting outside on the grass by Hagrid's hut, Cosima sunbathing next to her, her robes stuffed under her head serving as her pillow.

"Cosimaaaaaaaa," Delphine whines, "I'm boooooooored."

But the Ravenclaw simply ignores her, closing her eyes and focusing on the sun's warm rays caressing her cheeks.

"Cosimaaaaaaaaaaa," she continues, poking her in the ribs, "Please can we do something a bit more interesting? All of this reading is giving me a headache."

Cosima sighs and sits up, regarding Delphine with an expression similar to one used when scolding a naughty child.

"You wanted to learn all of this stuff, right?"

Delphine nods.

"Well, you can't just read one chapter of a book then expect to become an expert. Okay?"

Another nod.

"So finish the reading I told you to do and then you can start on those techniques I told you about, the ones that help you to focus your mind when you want to transform."

Delphine frowns, her bottom lip jutting out.

"But Cos, I want to _do _something. Even if, like you say, I'm not ready to try a transformation yet, can I at least see _you _transform? I still don't even know what animal you take the form of!"

Cosima chuckles, both amused and exhausted by Delphine's constant enthusiasm.

"You really wanna see my Animagus?"

Delphine nods so hard, it seems as though her head might fall off.

"Okay. Let's go into the forest though – I like to keep this private."

She begins to walk towards the Forbidden Forest, Delphine trailing behind her. They pass the barrier of dense trees and enter a thicket, in which a small space has been cleared beneath the canopy of leaves. The sun trickles through gaps in the branches, illuminating glistening puddles of water on the forest floor.

"This'll do." Cosima says.

Delphine hangs back at the edge of the clearing, trembling with barely-contained excitement. Cosima stands in the middle of the copse, head bowed. A few seconds later, a ripple passes through her body and in her place stands an adorable chocolate brown Labrador puppy, which immediately launches itself into a pile of leaves with reckless abandon. Delphine is gobsmacked; never in her three years at Hogwarts has she ever seen anything so remarkable.

Cosima the puppy then runs over to the blonde, jumping up and covering her in slobbery puppy kisses.

"Stop!" Delphine giggles, but Puppy Cosima is relentless. "You're getting my robes all wet! Okay, okay, if I promise to get all my work done, then will you stop?"

The puppy wags her tail; Delphine takes that to mean yes. A few moments later, and the puppy is gone, replaced by a grinning Cosima.

"So, how was that?"

"It was- I am amazed!" Delphine says, throwing her arms up into the air. "We must go back now though."

"Why the sudden rush?" Cosima asks.

"I want to learn everything there is to know so I can someday transform like you." Delphine says breathlessly.

Cosima smirks, pleasantly surprised by Delphine's sudden attitude change.

"Alright then. Let's go."

And together they make their way back up to the castle, Delphine's mind reeling from the sheer awesomeness of this magical world she is lucky enough to be a part of.

* * *

_**One year later…**_

"Come on, Cos!"

The brunette gasps out some form of incoherent reply, her lungs burning as she races behind Delphine, her shorter legs making it hard to keep up with the French girl.

"Delphine- slow- down," she pants, but her pleas fall on deaf ears.

Delphine is already waiting in the clearing when Cosima arrives, hunched over, the splitting pain in her side making it difficult to focus on anything.

"You really need to stop spending so much time in the library and start going out more." Delphine remarks; Cosima glares at her in response.

After a few minutes of huffing and moaning, her breathing returns to a somewhat normal pattern, and she turns to Delphine after perching on a large boulder.

"So, what the hell was so important that you had to drag me all the way out here right after lunch?"

"Well, you know how we've been practising the transformation technique?"

"Yeah?"

"And you showed me how to focus my mind in order to morph correctly?"

"Yeah?"

"And you've basically taught me everything there is to know about being an Animagus?"

"Yeah?!"

"Well… I was practising last night, like you told me to, and… something happened."

Delphine smiles shyly, while Cosima sits up straight, eyes narrowed.

"Bullshit."

Delphine shakes her head coyly.

"What do you mean? _Something _happened? What _something_?" Cosima urges.

"I think it's easier if I just show you." Delphine replies.

She removes her robe, placing it on the ground next to her satchel. She then walks to the middle of the clearing, the same place where Cosima had first transformed over a year ago. Cosima watches the scene with wide eyes; Delphine stands stock still, eyes closed, fists bunched as her arms hang by her sides.

"Okay. Here goes nothing." She whispers.

The air hums a little, and Cosima feels a shift as Delphine begins to shimmer; this occurs for five, maybe ten seconds, before the Slytherin student begins to shrink. At first, Cosima is horrified, thinking something has gone terribly wrong. But then, everything becomes still; and there, where Delphine was standing mere seconds ago, is the cutest Cocker Spaniel puppy Cosima has ever seen, sporting golden-brown ears and the most beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

"Delphine! Holy watershed, you did it!" The pride in Cosima's voice is obvious, and Puppy Delphine barks with delight, her tail wagging furiously. She begins to run around Cosima, occasionally stopping to tug at the girl's leg with her blunt teeth.

"What do you want?" Cosima muses, watching Puppy Delphine grow more and more frantic.

Until she suddenly understands what her friend wants, and without a moment's hesitation, Cosima has also transformed; she yips with joy as Puppy Delphine bowls her over and they begin to play fight, and then they take off, running through the woods without a care in the world, two friends having the time of their lives.


End file.
